Safe
by arysa13
Summary: Betty and Archie talk in the bunker. Post 3x05.


Betty shivers. She's still sitting in the entryway of the bunker, alternating between watching Archie and checking her phone. Jughead left an hour ago.

She picks the Serpent jacket off her lap and slips it on, hugging it around her body. Candles still flicker around the room, and for lack of something better to do, Betty gets up and starts blowing them out, careful not to make a sound lest she wake Archie. She needs to get up and move around anyway, both to keep herself warm and awake.

She keeps her ears pricked for sounds outside the bunker, but the woods outside are totally silent.

The bunker is mostly dark now, though she's left a couple of candles burning. She hears Archie groan and she whips her head around. He's still asleep.

"No, please," he says, his voice strangled. "Don't make me do it again, I don't want to hurt anyone!" He groans again, tossing and turning. "Let me out!" he shouts. "I'm innocent! I'm innocent!"

As much as Betty thinks Archie needs to rest, she knows a nightmare like that won't be restful. She hurries over to the bed and sits down beside him, shaking him awake.

"Archie," she says urgently. Her heart aches for him. "Arch. Wake up!"

He jolts awake, his eyes frantic for a moment before he realises where he is and who he's with. He swallows hard, breathing heavy. His forehead and chest are covered in a sheen of sweat.

"Are you okay?" Betty asks him. Stupid question. He's obviously not. He gives a short nod anyway. Ever a pillar of strength.

Archie glances around the room, then back to Betty. "What happened to Jughead?"

"I sent him home. He's barely slept lately."

"I know the feeling," Archie mutters.

"Arch—" Betty starts softly. Archie shakes his head.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay. You want to try and go back to sleep?"

Archie shakes his head again. "Tell me what's been happening here."

Betty doesn't even know where to start. She shakes her head, shrugging, at a loss for words. "There's this game," she finally settles on. "Gryphons and Gargoyles."

"Sounds lame."

Betty can't help but give a snort of laughter at that. "It is lame," she agrees. "Except… people die from playing it."

"People _die_?"

Betty nods. "Dilton Doiley, for one."

Archie stares up at her in shock. "Dilton's _dead_?"

Betty nods. "Sorry. I shouldn't be telling you this now. Not when you've had your own traumatic experience—"

"No, I want to know."

Betty eyes him cautiously. "That mark on your hip. It's part of the game."

"What, so—so the _warden_ is playing this game?"

Betty shrugs. "I don't know, I guess."

"Betty, this is messed up."

"You don't know the half of it. Our parents used to play when they were our age."

" _Our_ parents?"

"My mom and your dad. And Veronica's parents. And Jughead's dad. And Cheryl's mom, and Josie's mom, and Kevin's dad and Reggie's dad."

Archie frowns, shaking his head, totally bewildered by this information. "Why?"

"I don't know. But someone died back then too. And whoever killed him could be the person killing people now. One of our parents."

"Not my dad," Archie says quickly.

"I don't think so either."

They fall into silence, Betty allowing Archie to process all this information. She chews her lip, watching him from the corner of her eye.

"Also," she says, a smile playing at the corner of her lips. "My mom and your dad… kinda made out once."

Archie gives a snort, as Betty laughs softly. "Gross," he says. "Too much information."

"I know right," Betty chuckles.

Archie tries to shift, get in a more comfortable position. He winces, his stab wound troubling him. Betty studies him as he gets a far away look in his eyes, his forehead creased, and she knows he's thinking about juvie.

"What happened to you in there?" she whispers. "What did they do to you?" Archie squeezes his eyes shut. "I'm sorry. You don't want to talk about it, I know."

"No, it's okay," he sighs. "Veronica told you about the fighting?"

"A little."

"It was awful. There was this guy, when I first got in. Mad Dog. He was like… I don't know. The warden's pet. They told me he was dead after the riot. And then _I_ was the new pet," he says bitterly. "And if I did something right, they rewarded me. And if I did something wrong, they punished me."

"I'm so sorry, Arch."

"They were going to kill me, Betty," Archie says hoarsely, his eyes welling with tears. Betty can't help but well up herself in sympathy.

"You don't deserve any of this," she says fiercely. "You know that, right?"

Archie nods, though a little reluctantly. "I thought—I thought I needed to pay for my crimes, you know? But what they did to me…"

"The punishment didn't fit the crime."

"Yeah."

Betty shivers, the night getting even colder now.

"Are you cold?" Archie asks. Betty shakes her head, but even as she does so, she shivers again. Archie takes her hand, his hand hot against hers. "Your hands are freezing."

"You must be cold too," Betty insists, nodding to his bare chest.

"I run hot," Archie tells her. "Here, get in beside me. You can have some of my body heat."

"I don't want to hurt your wound."

"Betty," Archie says, exasperated. "Don't be such a martyr."

"Like you can talk, Archie Andrews. You're the biggest martyr of us all."

Archie gives her a look. "Just get into bed."

Betty flushes, but she does as he says, kicking off her shoes and pulling off her jacket before climbing over him, settling beside him on his good side. He rolls onto his side, pressing his hot chest against her back as he spoons her, pulling the blanket over both of them before wrapping his arms around her, enveloping her in his warmth.

"Better?" he asks.

"Much."

"Good."

"Don't let me fall asleep, okay? I'm supposed to be looking out for you."

"No one's coming for us," Archie whispers. "Get some sleep."

"Okay," Betty agrees, though she's still going to do her best to stay awake.

Archie is silent for a while, and Betty thinks he must have drifted off to sleep again, until he speaks.

"Thanks, Betty," he whispers.

"What for?"

"Everything you've done. Helping with my trial, getting me out of prison. Watching over me."

"That's nothing, Arch," Betty assures him. "You know I'd do anything for you."

"Well. Thanks anyway."

Betty smiles. "You're welcome."

"It's been a while since I've felt like this."

"Like what?"

Archie pauses. "Safe."


End file.
